Adjusting and locking device for skid-chains.



J. S. BOYD.

ADJUSTING AND LOCKING DEVICE FOR SKID CHAINS- APPL ICATION FILED AUG-5| I913.

e F m R m M W IWTOMWEVS' JAMESS. BOYD, or WEIR,

minim wit-mtg? 2 WWW amine.

TEXAS, nssieivon or ONE-HALF TO eoornn sAivsoM, or

enonenrown'rnxns. i

j ADJUSTING: AND LDCKING DEVICIFI FOE SKID-CHAINS.

mam; f

I To all whom'it may concern:

"Be it lrnownthat LJAMES S. BoYD,'a citizen of the United States, and a residentof Weir, in the county of Williamson and'State of Texas, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustingand Locking Devices for Skid Gliains, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has to do with the anti-skid chains used' upon automobile wheels and tires, my object being to provide a simple and effective adjusting and locking device whereby the chains may be adjusted upon tires of difierent sizes and readily and quickly locked to prevent slipping.

In its structure, my invention takes the form of a pair of longitudinally curved plates, each of these plates being provided at its outer end with a chain engaging hook, one of the plates being provided with a longitudinal series of openings and the other plate having a cam locking and adjusting lever so formed and engaged with the first plate that the lever is held in proper position in use by the various strains to which the locking device is subjected.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates the adjusting and locking device forming my invention, 7

Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the plates in engaged position,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan View of the same,

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the same, and

Fig. 4 is alongitudinal section through the two plates in the position they are shown in Fig. 1. v

Referring now to these figures, I provlde a pair of longitudinally curved cooperating plates A and B respectively, provided at their outer ends with hooks a and 1), formed by reduced extensions bent back upon the concave side thereof.

The plate A is provided in its length w1th a series of spaced rectangular apertures a and adjustably laps the inner end of the plate B, the said inner end of the latter plate being longitudinally slotted to provide side extensions 7) at the extremlties of which are formed bearings 22 for a transverse pivot bolt b One end a of the locking lever O is bent back thereon in spaced relation, and is provided at its extremity with a squared en- Specification of Letters Patent.

without first cleaning off the plates.

7 end of the lever to be being disposed between the extension 5 and Mud or other foreign matter collects upon the plate B and also in the openings of the plate A in use, so that upon relative adjust-- ment of these plates it is frequently impossible to get the free end of lever O closely against the plate B and, in locked position, This occasions considerable trouble and requires considerable time when there are a number of the fasteners tobe adjusted, and I therefore provide the lever with a reduced extremity at its free end as above mentioned and adapt it to move into the aperture in plate B to locked position, and to force any accumulated matter before it and through the said aperture, thus permitting the free moved into locked position irrespective of any accumulated matter such as above mentioned.

Thus, when the plates are united by passing the free laterally bent end of the locking lever through a selected opening a of the plate A, closing movement of the lever will eXert a cam action upon the plate A, to draw the plates tightly, that when the lever is closed, as shown in the figures, with its reduced free end 0 projecting through the intermediate opening o of plate B, the strain is directed against the bent end 0 of the lever and tends to prevent the same from opening.

Secured at one end upon the convex surface of the locking plate B, by means of a rivet d or otherwise, is'a spring D, the free end of which bears upon the squared extremity 0 of the locking lever, so that the latter may be held, when not under strain, in either an open, closed or intermediate position, thus facilitating the locking engagement of the plates when desired, and also serving to hold cooperative plates in engaged position and ready for instant-use when desired.

1. In an adjusting and locking device of the character described, a pair of cooperating longitudinally curved plates, one of said plates being provided with a longitudinal series of openings, the other plate being proand it will further be seen Patented net. as, ieie. Application filed August 5, 1913. serial No. 783,079. p I i vided with an intermediateopeniiig and with a slot extending longitudinally thereof from 7 its inner end and forming side extensions provided at their extremities with bearings, a locking. lever having one end bent back thereon in spaced'relati'on and provided with a squared extremity extending between the I said extensi0ns,apivotbolt extendingthrough the bearings and'the said squared end of the g locking lever, the opposite end of said lever being bent laterally and provided with a re' 'duced extremity for engagement Within the I scribed.

p mples; o1 thisjpatent may be obtained for intermediate opening of the plate towhich it 7 isfpivoted, and a spring seeuredat one end upon the last mentioned plate and having its free end bearing upon the squared extremity of the locking ever, all for the purpose de- 2. 'An adjusting and locking device of the character described, comprising a pair of bolt and having its opposite end bent laterally and provided with a reduced extension for engagement within the intermediate openingof its plate When closed, all for the purpose described.

' JAMES S. BOYD.

1 Witnesses:

OTTO G. RAUM, CHARLES F. MILLER.

five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner 0! Paton",

Washington, D. 0. 

